Death Penalty

"The abolition of the death penalty in Canada in 1976 has not led to increased homicide rates. Statistics Canada reports that the number of homicides in Canada in 2001 (554) was 23% lower than the number of homicides in 1975 (721), the year before the death penalty was abolished. In addition, homicide rates in Canada are generally three times lower than homicide rates in the U.S., which uses the death penalty. For example, according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, the homicide rate in the U.S. in 1999 was 5.7 per 100,000 population and the rate in Canada was only 1.8. Canada currently sentences those convicted of murder to life sentences with parole eligibility. (Issues Direct.com, 8/4/02)." This news insert, taken from www.deathpenaltyinfo.org, may give some explanation as to why, in 2002, Maryland, a state which uses the death penalty, had the second highest homicide rate in the United States with 9.4 murders per 100,000 people. The death penalty obviously has no deterring effect on criminals. …